


What We Believe

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Tumblr Prompts [23]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 20:59:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17029923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Alec's distraught when he overhears Magnus make a deal with Lorenzo, and turns to Simon for a place to think things through before confronting his boyfriend.





	What We Believe

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr Prompt: Alec hears Magnus telling Lorenzo that he'll beak up with Alec and when talking to Magnus, finds out it was part of a deal that Lorenzo wanted, so Magnus told him but didn't actually intend to break up with Alec.

Alec isn’t due back home for another two hours, but when things at the Institute were quiet for once, Jace offers to stay and watch over the building (promising to call him the  _ second _ something happens, if anything were to happen). Alec decides to take the extra few hours and surprise Magnus with takeout for dinner from his favorite Indonesian restaurant in the city. 

Unlocking the door to the Loft and letting himself in, Alec stills in the doorway when he hears two voices floating down the hallway from Magnus’ apothecary. It doesn’t take him very long to place the second voice: Lorenzo Rey. What’s he doing here? Magnus didn’t mention any meetings or clients today, and Alec is certain he would’ve remembered if Rey’s name came up. 

Placing the bag of food down on the dining room table Alec takes a few steps further into the Loft. At first he thinks nothing of it, certain that Magnus will tell him all about whatever it is later anyway… in fact, perhaps if he’s being particularly obnoxious Alec can step in and pull the ‘HotI’ card to get rid of him sooner rather than later. 

He stops walking entirely when he hears what they’re talking about: Him. 

“End your relationship with the Shadowhunter, prove that your loyalties aren’t divided, and the position is yours once more.” Lorenzo states in no uncertain terms. 

Alec begins to roll his eyes. As if Magnus would ever--

“...break up with Alec and I get to be the High Warlock again?” 

Alec’s heart stops beating in his chest. 

“Yes.”    
  
“Consider it done.” Magnus’ reply reaches him, and it takes everything he has to force his legs to take several steps backwards, out of the hallway and back into the main living area. He feels numb, and his hands are trembling as he grabs his keys and leaves before he can hear any more, takeout forgotten on the table.  

\--

He almost goes back to the Institute, but that’s too obvious. Of course it’ll be the first place Magnus would think to look for him. Instead he forces himself on shaking, unsteady legs to the only place he can think of where Magnus would never think to look, and where he’d (hopefully) be met with a sympathetic, and non-judgmental, ear. 

Which is how Alexander Lightwood finds himself sprawled out on Simon Lewis’ sofa, bare feet dangling over the arm and head tilted back towards the ceiling, staring at it with so much intensity one would think it somehow held all of the answers to the universe. By the end of his recounting of the conversation he overheard a few stray tears sting in Alec’s eyes before spilling over to dot the red fabric of the sofa a darker crimson. The Shadowhunter rubs them away hastily, convincing himself they’re out of shock more than anything else, and Simon very obviously notices but doesn’t say anything. Not about that, at least. 

“That doesn’t sound like Magnus,” Simon declares, after hearing Alec’s story. 

“It doesn’t matter what it sounds like - I was  _ there _ . He  _ said it _ .” Alec sighs. “Can I even blame him? That position is everything to him, and now that he has his magic back…” 

“He wouldn’t  _ do that _ to you, though!” Simon insists. 

“Maybe not before now, but he’s about to.” Alec shifts his head to the side to look at his phone as it rings - and he sends it straight to voicemail - for the 7th time that hour.  

“You know when you click it through like that the other person knows you’re hitting ‘ignore’ right? If you want Magnus to think you actually aren’t here you have to let it ring the whole time.” Simon points out, trying to be at least a little helpful. “That’s why he just keeps calling right back.” 

As if to emphasize this, the phone rings again almost immediately, and Alec makes a strangled noise of building frustration before throwing the phone across the room, wincing at the sound of something definitely breaking as it collides with the wall. 

“...or you could do that.” Simon says very slowly, suddenly a bit more concerned than he was a moment ago. 

“What am I going to do? I can’t go back now. I can’t walk in there knowing he’s going to-- that it’s going to be--” Alec can’t even bring himself to say the words. He doesn’t want to imagine a life without Magnus by his side.

“It isn’t going to be over,” Simon fills in for him. “Look, I know I’m not your best friend or anything. You only came here because no one would ever think you’d come to be in the first place, and I barely know Magnus even though he keeps saving all of our lives, but you two? You’re Relationship Goals, alright? I know it. You know it. The entire Shadow World knows it. He went to  _ Edom _ and gave up his  _ magic _ to help you, do you really think he’d end things now over a stupid title from a guy he hates?”

Alec has to stop and think about that, because it’s a pretty good point, actually. It doesn’t explain anything he heard Magnus say, but it at least gives him the slightest sliver of hope that not all is lost.  

“And if he really did mean it-” Simon continues, and Alec feels his stomach lurch at the words, that hopeful feeling disappearing immediately. “-then you have to fight to get him back. You can’t just mope around my apartment and give up.” 

“I never thought I’d say this-” Alec starts, swinging his feet over the front of the sofa to sit up straight and slide his feet back into his shoes. “But you’re right, Simon.” 

Simon practically beams. “So you’re going to talk to him and get your man back? Not that you even lost him yet, but-- you know what I mean.” 

“Yes, Simon. I’m going to talk to him.” Alec walks over to his phone, picking it up and turning it over in his hand to examine the shattered glass front. An experimental poke with his finger turns the screen on, but it’s unusable. 

“Let me know how it goes!” Simon calls after him, just as the door shuts behind him and Alec is on his way back to Magnus’ loft. A place his mind is quick to call ‘home’ when he thinks of it… though for how much longer, he supposes he’s about to find out. 

\---

Instead of turning the key in the lock, Alec hesitates in the hallway before finally knocking. 

“Now’s not a good time,” comes a clearly distraught voice from inside, not even bothering to ask who it is. 

Part of Alec is tempted to take it as a sign and leave, but instead he ventures a quiet, “Magnus?” Through the door. 

A moment later the handle turns and the door swings open. “Alexander,” Magnus breathes out, and Alec is surprised to feel arms immediately wrap around him in a warm embrace. He tenses, and Magnus feels it, letting go and stepping back slowly. “Alexander, what’s wr-” 

“Stop,” Alec says. “Don’t pretend we both don’t know what this is about. I heard you with Lorenzo.” 

Magnus frowns. “I thought you might’ve, when I saw the food on the table after. I’m sorry you walked into that.”

Alec gapes. He feels lightheaded, half-expecting the very ground he stands on to fall out beneath him where he stands unsteadily.  “So it’s true? You aren’t even going to try and deny it?” 

“You heard what you heard, but I didn’t mean it. I would  _ never-”  _ But now it’s Magnus’ turn to fall off, speechless as he realizes what’s happening. “You came here thinking I was going to break up with you.” Magnus says it with the lilt of a question. 

“Aren’t you?” Alec counters, defeated. “You could finally have it all back like it’s supposed to be. Like it was before I showed up and ruined everything… with Soul Sword, and Jace and Lilith and Edom… why wouldn’t you leave me to get back everything you ever wanted?” 

Alec keeps his eyes resolutely downward, missing the look of pity that passes across his boyfriend’s eyes, and the sadness over the fact that Alec could ever value himself so little in the grand scheme of Magnus’ life. It isn’t until Alec feels Magnus’ hand under his chin gently guiding his gaze upward that he looks into Magnus’ eyes again. 

“Alexander,” Magnus’ voice is soft. Comforting, but also commanding of his attention, making sure he’s listening.  _ Really _ listening. “ _ You _ are everything I ever wanted, and everything I never imagined I could have. I wouldn’t give you up for anything, least of all some shady deal with  _ Lorenzo Rey _ .” 

Alec allows a small, hopeful smile to twitch up at the corners of his lips. “Yeah?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then why did you agree to it?” Alec can’t help but ask, still waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

“Because I was going to agree, and then see how you felt about pretending to break up for a week or two until the official reassignment ceremony is over. Then I would promptly inform him we were never really broken up in the first place after there’s not a single thing he can do about it.” 

Alec’s brows furrow together. “Wouldn’t they just take it away again?” 

Magnus shakes his head. “No. Stripping someone of the title, if not willingly transferred, requires a vote and a meeting with the other High Warlocks. And after his lackluster performance as High Warlock of Brooklyn from day one with Lilith and the Ley Lines, I can’t see that working in his favor. No, right now he’s trying to save face and make me miserable at the same time.” 

“Oh.” Alec can’t help but feel a little embarrassed that he ever doubted Magnus’ intentions. Also that he’d have to admit to Simon later that he was right. By the Angel, he’s never going to hear the end of that. “I’m sorry I thought -- I mean, I didn’t really believe it. I didn’t  _ want  _ to believe it. But after everything you’ve been through I guess I thought maybe…” 

“I won’t pretend I’m not hurt that you thought I’d toss you aside that easily,” Magnus admits. “Just promise me next time you’ll come to me first?” 

Alec nods. This isn’t a mistake he’ll make twice. 

“You know what sold it?” Magnus asks suddenly, filling the silence. 

“What?”    
  
“You. From the night I broke into his house. He told me  _ all  _ about how quick you were to sell me out for the ‘good of your people’ to turn me against you.” Magnus smirks. “You were quite convincing, it would seem. Shall we give those acting skills an encore?” 

 

Alec considers the idea for a moment and nods. To get Magnus his title back, it’s the least he can agree to do. There’s a small, matching smirk on Alec’s face when he agrees. “Okay, I’m in. Let’s give them a break-up they’ll never forget.”  

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr! ](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com))


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